What is FASD?

FASD stands for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. It is a lifelong disability that affects the brain and body of people who were exposed to alcohol in the womb. Each person with FASD has both strengths and challenges and will need special supports to help them succeed with many different parts of their daily lives.

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) are a group of conditions that can occur in a person who was exposed to alcohol in the womb.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS): Individuals with FAS can exhibit growth deficiencies, distinct facial features, and central nervous system problems, leading to challenges in learning, memory, attention, communication, and sensory processing (like vision and hearing). They often face difficulties in educational settings and social interactions.

Partial FAS (pFAS): Individuals with pFAS exhibit some of the signs and symptoms of FAS but do not meet the full criteria. They might display similar facial characteristics and growth deficiencies but may not have the CNS abnormalities to the same degree.

Alcohol-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder (ARND): People with ARND may experience intellectual disabilities and behavioral and learning challenges. They often struggle academically, particularly with math, memory, attention, judgment, and impulse control.

Alcohol-Related Birth Defects (ARBD): Individuals with ARBD typically have physical defects affecting the heart, kidneys, bones, or auditory system.

Neurobehavioral Disorder Associated with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure (ND-PAE): Recognized in the DSM-5 in 2013, ND-PAE involves difficulties in thinking, memory, behavior, and daily living skills. Symptoms include trouble with planning, memory retention, severe tantrums, mood swings, and challenges in adapting to day-to-day tasks.

The FASD project is a film seeking to rapidly increase awareness of the risks of alcohol consumption in pregnancy within a short period of time, given the significant increase in alcohol consumption since the onset of the global pandemic. This film aims to bring awareness about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) and provide detailed scientific information on prevention, while aiming to start discussions about solutions to current problems facing the community. Through the course of our film journey, we will be interviewing top scientists, clinicians, psychologists, lawyers, directors of Public Health offices and health institutes, and most importantly, parents and family members of individuals with a FASD. We will follow ‘a day in the life’ of those living with and impacted by a FASD to present to the viewers how living with an FASD shows up in day-to-day life. We will focus on impacted individuals who are doing well in addition to individuals who are not faring as well due to incarceration, homelessness or major mental health challenges exacerbated by FASD.

FAQ’s

How common is FASD?


In a wide-ranging active case study of over 13,000 mixed-population, first-grade students in four regions of the United States, the most conservative prevalence estimate of FASD was found to be as many as 1 in 20 first-grade students.  This is about 1 child in every classroom in America with an FASD.  (Prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders in 4 US Communities).

 

Can I safely drink alcohol during my pregnancy?

No, According to the CDC There is no known safe amount of alcohol during pregnancy or when trying to get pregnant. There is also no safe time to drink during pregnancy. Alcohol can cause problems for a developing baby throughout pregnancy, including before a woman knows she’s pregnant. All types of alcohol are equally harmful, including all wines and beer.

 

What are the most common developmental disabilities associated with FASD?

The cognitive and behavioral impairments associated with FASD may include lower IQ and second are deficits in motor skills. Most have attention, executive function (working memory, problem solving, planning, and response inhibition), language, visual perception, adaptive functioning (skills necessary for everyday living), many struggle to tell time or manage money for example. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: A Review of the Neurobehavioral Deficits Associated with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure.

 

 

Do the FASD facial features change as a child ages?


Facial feature are only seen in less than 10% of children with FASD. Facial features alone can not diagnose someone with FASD.  As described in the scientific paper Evolution of the Physical Phenotype of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders from Childhood through Adolescence, “Key facial features that characterize FASD in early childhood diminish or evolve in some individuals, making diagnostic examinations that rely on these characteristics most sensitive during early childhood and school age. Given that several features and small head circumference diminished with age, many individuals would be misdiagnosed if only examined at a later age.”

 

Is it true the majority of children with FASD are not raised by their birth parents.

Studies have found that among children diagnosed with FASD 70% are or have been in foster care, (Burd, 2011). Studies suggest that a rise in alcohol and drug use by women has resulted in 60% more children coming into state care since 1986. Burd, L., Cohen, C., Shah, R., & Norris, J. (2011). A court team model for young children in foster care: The role of prenatal alcohol exposure and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. Int. J Law Psychiatry , 39(1), 179-191.

 

What can I do to help my child if they have FASD or I suspect they do?

Consistent routines

Limited stimulation

Concrete language and examples

Multi-sensory learning (visual, auditory and tactile)

 Realistic expectations

Supportive environments

Supervision

 


Fast Facts about FASD

  • FASD is a neurological (brain-based) disorder.

  • FASD affects learning, social and emotional skills and physical coordination.

  • FASD impairs one’s ability to access their IQ score.

  • Most individuals with an FASD have slight or no exterior facial abnormalities

  • Those with an FASD often appear more capable than they are.

  • 94% of individuals with an FASD also have a mental illness 8

  • 50% of individuals with an FASD have a history in a confinement setting (jail, prison, etc.)

  • 60% of people with an FASD have a history of trouble with the law 10

  • 50% of adolescents and adults displayed inappropriate sexual behavior

  • 61% of adolescents with an FASD experienced significant school disruptions15

  • 80% of children with a full-blown FAS are in foster or adoptive placement 12